Fluid-tight watch case



May 17, 1960 R. MONNIER ETAL 2,936,574

FLU1DT1GHT WATCH CASE Filed Aug. 2, 1956 mVaw'orS:

United States Patent O FLUID-TIGHT WATCH CASE Raymond Monnier and Arnold Kyburz, Neuchatel, Switzerland, assgnors to Kyburz & Cie, Neuchatel, Switzerland, a firm Application August 2, 1956, Serial No. 601,806 Claims priority, application Switzerland January 6, 19156 2 Claims. (Cl. 58-90) Our invention has for its object a fluid-tight watch case the edge of the glass of which engages an annular projection on the case band and rests on an annular bearing surface formed on the latter and inside the projection thereof, said edge of the glass being provided outwardly with a shoulder engaged by a rim secured to the upper section of the case band and urging the edge of the glass against the above mentioned annular bearing surface.

According to our invention, said bearing surface is formed by the bottom of a groove, the outer wall of which is constituted by the above mentioned vannular projection while the cross-section of the bottom of said groove is recessed in the shape of a V and the crosssection of the edge of a glass has a corresponding projecting shape.

We have illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of a watch case according to our invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of said case and Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate its operation.

In the embodiment disclosed, there is illustrated a case including a bottom rigid with a peripheral section provided with an annular groove 14 bounded outwardly by the upstanding annular projection 2 on the peripheral section and inwardly by an annular inner projection 15 on the said bottom. 4 designates the glass provided with an outer ange 5 subjected to the pressure exerted by the annular rim 6 fitted inside the peripheral notch 7 in the case bottom. The cross-section of the annular groove 1 includes a lower hollow part in the shape of a V having widely flaring sides. The lower edge 16 of the periphery of the glass has a cross-section matching that of the groove so as to be capable of fitting inside the latter. When the glass is not mounted on the case, the annular packing 9 fitted over the bottom of the groove 14 assumes the flat shape illustrated in Fig. 2. When the glass is positioned and is clamped even slightly, it exerts on the packing 9 a pressure in the direction of the arrow f1 of Fig. 3, which pressure is transmitted in the direction of the diverging arrows f2 onto the bottom and sidewalls of the groove 14 so as to provide perfect fluid-tightness, the packing filling exactly the space between the glass and the bottom of the groove.

ICC

What we claim is:

1. In a uid-tight watch case, the combination of a case body including an upstanding peripheral projection provided along the upper edge of said projection with a groove, the outline of the inner surface of which is formed by an obtuse upwardly flaring V and by two lines starting from the upper ends of the V up to the upper surface of the projection and defining the lateral surface areas of the groove, said case body being provided furthermore, on the outside of the peripheral projection with an annular transverse bearing surface, a glass the peripheral section of which has a depending edge the shape of the end of which matches that of the bottom of the groove and which extends over the latter, a rim fitted over the bearing surface of the case body and projecting inwardly to -urge the peripheral section of the glass into position over said ygroove and a broad annular packing having when unstressed a rectangular cross-section and filling elastically the annular groove and urged by the depending edge of the peripheral section of the glass into fluid-tight engagement with the inner surface and lateral surface areas of the groove.

2. In a fluid-tight watch case, the combination of a case body including an upstanding peripheral projection provided along the upper edge of said projection with a groove, the inner surface of which is formed by an obtuse upwardly flaring V and by two lines starting from the upper ends of the V up to the upper surface of the projection and defining the lateral surface areas of the groove, said case body being provided furthermore on the outside of the peripheral projection with an annular transverse bearing surface, a glass the peripheral section of which has a depending edge the shape of the end of which matches that of the bottom of the groove and of at least one of its lateral surfaces, `said depending edge engaging the last-mentioned lateral surface of the groove a rim fitted over the bearing surface of the case body and projecting inwardly to urge the peripheral section of the glass into the upper part of said groove and a broad fiat annular packing having a rectangular crosssection and filling elastically the annular groove and urged by the depending edge of the peripheral section of the glass into fluid-tight engagement with the inner surface of the groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,116,421 Williams May 3, 1938 2,716,328 Dinstman Aug. 30, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 215,705 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1941 905,856 France Apr. 30, 1945 251,697 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1948 262,020 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1949 `310,554 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1955 

